orenji on the road: Peru & Bolivia: a photo retrospective

We conclude the posts about our recent trip to Peru and Bolivia with a photo essay, sharing some of our favorite pictures from the thousands that we took! As we previously blogged about restaurants, foods, beverages, and guinea pigs, the photos posted below are more reflective of the scenery and people of Peru and Bolivia. We hope you enjoy viewing them, as much as we enjoyed taking and sharing them!









The narrow streets and town square of colonial Cusco, Peru.





Native llamas and alpacas... and brightly-colored textiles made from their hair!









The start of the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu...

The snow-capped Andes!

Arrival at Macchu Picchu...

Lake Titicaca...

A native quinoa plant...

Pre-Incan temple faces...

The people of La Paz, B0livia...

The "Valley of the Moon"

triple ginger cookies

When our good friend-- and longtime cookie-making partner in crime-- told us that she and her husband were expecting a new addition to their family, we were very excited here at orenji catering... Of course, accompanying the news of the imminent visit from the stork were her reports of terrible stomach upset and morning sickness. She mentioned that ginger was recommended to her, to soothe her stomach, and requested that we create some ginger cookies for her to nibble on... The only requirements were that they not be"too sweet," but rather, taste "somewhat hot or spicy."


We were all to happy to oblige... and headed to the orenji catering test kitchens to see what ginger-infused magic we could conjure up? After a few attempts, we settled on the addition of three types of ginger flavoring to our cookie dough-- fresh grated young ginger, finely chopped candied ginger, and ginger oil (to add the touch of heat our friend requested). To complement the ginger, and add a dash of spice, we opted for some Chinese five-spice powder, rather than the more traditional cinnamon or nutmeg found in most ginger cookies.








The cookies turned out soft and chewy, with a delightfully layered ginger flavor, accented by a touch of spice-- just as requested. We can only hope that these cookies do the trick, and that our friend feels better soon!

orenji on the road: Peruvian bebidas

We continue our coverage of our recent 'orenji on the road' trip to Peru with a look at local beverages... or bebidas. Just as the Peruvians enjoy food, they appear to enjoy their drinks-- both alcoholic and non-alcoholic-- as well! We were, of course, all too happy to sample a variety of beverages.

To the left, you will see a picture of a beautiful mixed drink we tried with our seafood lunch at 'la mar' in Lima, Peru (see previous 'orenji on the road' blog for a description of the food...). The drink was made with Pisco-- a local alcohol much like brandy, made from fermented grapes. Thought to have first been produced in the town of Pisco, Peru, it is the "national drink!"



The cocktail in question was a variation of the traditional "Pisco Sour" (discussed below), but was flavored with the juice of what our guide called the "maracuya." Maracuya is generally translated as "passion fruit," which this most certainly is not (in the traditional sense). However, it appears that regionally, the fruit in our cocktail (and pictured both above and below) is referred to as a maracuya. In English, the berry (we have discovered) is generally referred to as the "Cape Gooseberry," which grows in the Amazon rain forest. It is a sweet golden berry, which is generally used in drinks, preserves, and baked goods, although many locals eat them as snacks. The gooseberries grow covered by their leaves, as pictured below. At our wonderful dinner at Astrid y Gaston, Lima's finest restaurant (see previous 'orenji on the road' blog), we were served caramelized gooseberries as mignardises after our meal.

If you look carefully at the picture below, you see a variety of Peruvian drinks. Of course, the 'maracuya sour' is in the foreground. To the left is a thick cocktail, also containing Pisco, but flavored with tamarind and caramel. Behind that, fresh jugo de camu camu (a fresh fruit juice made from another Amazonian berry). And behind that, a Coca Sour-- another variation on the Pisco Sour, but made with leaves of the coca plant! Each of the bebidas were refreshing-- especially the maracuya and coca sours! The tamarind cocktail was cloyingly sweet, and quite thick, making it more of a dessert than an accompaniment to our lunch.

Below, a Coca Sour-- light and refreshing version of the Pisco Sour. A traditional Pisco Sour combines Pisco, lime juice, sugar (generally in the form of simple syrup), and bitters. The cocktail is topped with a layer of whipped egg whites and sugar, creating a textural contrast to the smoothness of the alcohol-laden drink.

Pisco Sours show up everywhere... even at Astrid y Gaston!

Another regional beverage is Chicha. Chicha generally refers to a fermented beverage made from fruit or grain. In Peru, there is alcoholic Chicha (Chicha de Jora) and non-alcoholic Chicha (Chicha Morada). The alcoholic variety is made generally through the cooking and fermentation of corn. Below, Chicha is being strained through a woven straw net to remove the cooked kernels prior to fermentation. It is a slightly yellowish and milky color following fermentation.

In season, especially around the Cusco region of Peru, fresh strawberries are added to Chicha, to create a variation known as Frutillada (pictured below). We had the opportunity to taste freshly made and fermented Frutillada. It was rather a sweet tasting and unrefined alcohol, with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Chicha is likely to have 1 to 3% alcohol by volume, but the sample we tried seemed a bit more fortified than that!

The non-alcoholic version of Chicha, Chicha Morada, is not fermented. It is usually made of purple corn which is boiled with a fruit juice (oftentimes pineapple) and spices (mostly cinnamon and clove). The result is a bright purple liquid, which is sweetened with sugar and balanced with lemon juice. During our hike of the Inca Trail, we found Chicha Morada to be quite refreshing and re-invigorating, without being overly sweet!

Now, no discussion of Peruvian beverages would be complete with Cusqueña beer and Inca Kola! Cusqueña is a Peruvian beer brewed in Cusco, made with water from the Andes mountains. It is a local favorite (and now one of our favorites as well!)! Not as positively received was Inca Kola-- a bright yellow carbonated soft drink which tastes strongly of bubble gum... Inca Kola, while possibly not appealing to tourists, remains extremely popular in Peru, and has the country's largest market share of carbonated soft drinks. In fact, Peru is one of only two countries in the world (the other being Scotland) where Coca-Cola does not control the soft drink market... thanks to Inca Kola!

We end our review of Peruvian beverages with Mate de Coca-- the ubiquitous "coca tea." This tea is made by steeping the leaves of the coca plant in hot water. Coca tea has been traditionally consumed by individuals living in the high Andes, as it contains a natural stimulant which promotes the absorption of oxygen by the blood, and therefore combats altitude sickness. We were very happy to have it while climbing up to over 14,000 feet in altitude on the Inca Trail!

The coca leaf is also chewed by locals (and those climbing or trekking in the mountains). The tea itself tastes a bit grassy, like Japanese green tea... and while the leaves contain trace amounts of cocaine (as the coca plant is the source of cocaine production), the amount is so minuscule there are no ill effects-- even if the tea is consumed everyday over the course of the lifespan!

We are nearly finished with our 'orenji on the road' coverage of our trip to Peru and Bolivia. We will post one more blog-- a photo essay of some of the favorite pictures we took... so keep checking back!

a tropical cupcake wedding cake!

Some time ago, we were commissioned to create a tropical wedding cake, for some friends who had recently gotten married in Hawai'i. Upon their return to sunny California, the happy couple threw a tropical-themed wedding celebration. We were all too happy to participate, and in our collaboration with the radiant bride, decided upon a orchid-laden tower of cupcakes.

Six types of cupcakes were prepared, decorated individually, and placed upon a lovely tiered platter (seen at right). The cupcake flavors included:

* Vanilla-bean pound cake with milk chocolate buttercream (the groom’s favorite!)

* Macadamia nut golden cupcakes with toasted coconut buttercream (Perfect for the tropical theme!)

* Devil’s food cupcakes with whipped bittersweet chocolate ganache

* White genoise cupcakes soaked in Chambord syrup and topped with white chocolate buttercream

* Milk chocolate cupcakes soaked in Kahlua syrup with Kona coffee buttercream

* Golden genoise soaked with Frangelico syrup and topped with French cashew praline buttercream

The cupcakes themselves were the perfect size, and presented an easy-to-eat option for guests in the casual atmosphere of the tropical party. More than one guest tried all six flavors! The top tier held a small cake, decorated with a variety of tropical flowers and ribbon, to be saved for the happy couple's first anniversary.

We are always so happy to be a part of any couple's "special day," but it is always so much more enjoyable when the couple is made up of two friends! Congratulations, and Mahalo!

orenji on the road: the markets in cusco, peru

We continue our series of 'orenji on the road' blogs about our recent trip to Peru and Bolivia with a pictorial essay on the fresh food markets in Cusco, Peru.

Cusco (Cuzco in Spanish, and Qusqu in Quechua-- the native language of the region) was the ceremonial capital of the Inca Empire. Located near the Sacred Valley of the Incas, all roads led to Cusco. Following Spanish arrival in Peru, most of the Inca temples were "replaced" with Spanish-style Cathedrals, although reminders of the empire remain. At 11,500 feet, Cusco is now a bustling town rich in history and tourism. Many tourists planning on hiking the Inca Trail or visiting Machu Picchu spend some time in Cusco prior to that trek. (Below, the Plaza de Armas in Cusco, at night).



The markets in Cusco were busy, crowded places with countless stalls selling all the local culinary ingredients one could ever want. An endless supply of fruits, meats, vegetables, potatoes, grains, legumes, cheeses, and packaged foods were spread out in bins or on blankets waiting to be purchased. It was quite an incredible shopping experience-- overwhelming to the senses, but enjoyable nonetheless. We took many pictures, and present some of them in this blog.

A general shot of the market, taken from the entrance:



We call this one "meat and potatoes..."



Various meats for sale:

Fresh juices made to order:

Grains and legumes:

Delicious colorful fruits for sale:

Outside the market, more vegetables for sale:

You can even by cloth and textiles at the market!

Fresh cheeses for sale:

Depending on who you ask, Peru has between hundreds and thousands of indigenous varieties of potatoes. Some of them are quite colorful, whereas others look like a typical Idaho spud...

And of course, no talk of Peru would be complete without mentioning the corn. Peruvian corn is large-kerneled. Huge, in fact. The kernels are approximately four to five times larger than the sweet yellow or white corn eaten regularly in the United States. Peruvian corn is sweeter, starchier, and chewier... and is frequently eaten as a snack, purchased from street vendors. The corn sold is generally boiled or steamed, and served with a slice of fresh cheese. As the ears of corn are so large, it is quite a substantial snack-- filling and satisfying!

Only a few more posts left to come recounting our adventures in Peru and Bolivia. Keep checking back for a review of Peruvian bebidas (beverages), and a photo essay of some scenic highlights of the trip!